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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: Christopher Robin on Saturday 01 January 11 14:34 GMT (UK)
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This is a long shot!!!
I'm looking for a serviceman who was stationed in Worthing, UK during WW2.
His first name is Charles but his surname could be:-
ARMSTRONG/BYERS/ELLIOT/IRVING/ERWIN/IRWIN/IRVINE/IRVIN/IRVIN
All the above surnames are very closely related through DNA.
Does anyone have any idea from the above surnames if any could be French Canadian and from where in Canada. Please.
Cheers
Chris (Happy New Year)
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Hi Chris
The surnames you listed do not sound like any French Canadians I have ever run across. Perhaps his mother was French Canadian. Do you have a birth date for Charles? Most French Canadians live in Quebec although there are pockets in other provinces.
Vivien
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Hi Vivien
Thanks so much for coming back.
He was about 42 in 1945 so that makes him born about 1903.
But I don't know where he was born Canada/UK.
Cheers
Chris
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Hi Chris.
Here's a link for the 1911 Canadian census.
http://automatedgenealogy.com/census11/
There's a Charles Armstrong born 1903 living in Vancouver with his parents. Do you have any other information ?
Irving's a big name in New Brunswick.
Vivien
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Hi Vivien
Thanks for the link.
No other info really. As you say all the surnames are British, but his mother could of
been French Canadian or even his grandmother. But that points to him being born
in Canada !!. Otherwise if he moved to Canada he should of had a English accent.
All the surnames derive from the surname Irvine and the DNA is 99.9% match.
He was stationed in Worthing, Sussex, England for a good part of the war, but did see
service in Europe but was back in Worthing July 1945.
We even know the house that he was billeted in, but no records kept. As they would of told me
his surname. No one in road still alive who live near during the war.
regards
Chris
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Was he serving with the Canadian armed forces, Chris?
Vivien
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Yes, Canadian Army
But no idea of regiment
Chris
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Hi,
Do you think your ancestor was French-speaking? Or could he have been an Anglophone in a primarily French speaking area?
Be aware that not all French speaking Canadians are Quebecois. There are significant French populations in northern New Brunswick, Eastern Ontario, Manitoba, and pockets throughout the country. However Quebec is obviously your best bet to start out if you are sure your ancestor was French speaking.
I wouldn't rule out the paternal surnames as from Quebec. There has always been English and Irish settlement in Quebec, particularly in Montreal and the Outaouis.
J.
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Hi J
Thank you, for your input.
Re: Anglophone I'm not sure. I have only found one person who met him and said he spoke good English but with a French accent !!!.
In Worthing where he was stationed we had a number of French Canadian Regiments including
12th Army Tank (The Three Rivers) who were here for about 13 mths and 61 men married local girls in that time. I'm working through the war diaries of all the regiments that I know were in Worthing during WW2. To see if I can match up a surname, but most of the diaries don't have a list of soldiers.
And it looks like billet records have all gone!!!
Thanks again J
Chris
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The French accent is a good clue. Of couse some Irish settlers to Quebec became integrated with the French speaking population and so were French speaking despite having English/Irish names. I think most of the Irish are in Montreal. If you do any research in Quebec I'd start there.
The previous post regarding Irvings and New Brunswick is also a good tip. I quickly googled old KC Irving (there is very wealthy family of Irvings from New Brunswick, KC was the founder of the business). KC was from Bouctouche, New Brunswick. Bouctouche is in the French (Acadian) part of New Brunswick. You could start in Bouctouche and work out from there.
J.
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Hi J
Thanks, so much.
Kind regards
Chris
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I think most of the Irish are in Montreal.
They populated much of the Eastern Townships and West Quebec as well.
Here's a link to a list of all the Irish Catholic churches in Quebec:
http://www.pbalkcom.com/valcartier/Research%20Guides/irish_catholic_churches_in_q.htm
Frirish
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As you say all the surnames are British, but his mother could of
been French Canadian or even his grandmother. But that points to him being born
in Canada !!. Otherwise if he moved to Canada he should of had a English accent.
They look more like Lowland Scottish if anything. I doubt whether the huge numbers of Scots who moved to Canada would thank you for describing their accent as English. Any chance of a link with a Canadian Scottish regiment? Just a thought.
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All I know is that he was in Worthing for a long time during WW2, but have no idea what regiment.
I think he worked at "Courtlands" a large property in Worthing used by the 2nd Div Canadian army.
He was billeted close by in Grand Ave, I even know the house. But there are no records locally substantiating which regiment was billeted there. All location statements which may help are held in Canada. It is proving very difficult to access these.
http://www.canadianrootsuk.org/vowles.html
Cheers Chris
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chris
someone is writing a book about troops in Worthing:
http://www.ww2f.com/wwii-general/36620-canadian-servicemen-regiments-wwii.html
Some of the men have been identified so perhaps you could contact them!
Cheers!
Frirish
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Frirish
Thanks for the link, the writer is a friend and we are working on the book together.
Have interviewed a number of Canadian Vets still living in the Worthing area also war brides etc.
Taking a long time and hard work to gleam info for book.
Cheers
Chris